Blog Posts From Active Expert: Nancy Clark RD CSSD Tagged With holiday_gift

Yummy holiday gifts for active friends

guest — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:07:21 GMT

Are you searching for the perfect holiday gift for your teammates and exercise buddies?

Remember that active people welcome healthful food gifts, such as a baggie filled with homemade

trail mix then tied with a bow, a loaf of bread warm from the oven, a nutrition book with recipes.

Here’s a favorite trail mix recipe from my Sports Nutrition Guidebook, a popular gift in itself!

Sugar and Spice Trail Mix

This tasty pre-exercise snack is sweet, but not too sweet.

Put it in small baggies tied with a bow, and you’ll have gifts for the whole team!

3 cups oat squares cereal

3 cups mini-pretzels, salted or salt-free, as desired

2 tablespoons tub margarine, melted

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup dried fruit bits or raisins

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. In a large resealable plastic bag or plastic container with a

cover, combine the oat squares and pretzels.

3. In a small microwavable bowl, melt the margarine; add the

brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well; pour over the cereal.

4. Seal the bag or container and shake gently until the mixture is

well coated. Transfer to a baking sheet.

5. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

6. Let cool; add the dried fruit. Divide into 10 baggies.

Yield: 10 servings

Total calories: 2,000

200 calories per serving; 40 g Carb; 5 g Protein; 2 g Fat

Recipe courtesy of the Amer. Heart Assoc. (www.deliciousdecisions.com)

Recommended Reading

Helpful sports nutrition books can also be a welcome gift.

Here are a few suggestions from the books that I have written :

Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook

The sports nutrition bible for learning how to eat to win.

The Cyclist’s Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance

For cyclists who are doing long rides or tours.

Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions

Perfect for novice marathoners who fear hitting the wall!

Food Guide for New Runners: Getting It Right From the Start

For the novice runner who wants to lose weight and run well

Food Guide for Soccer: Tips and Recipes From the Pros

Useful gift for coaches, players, and soccer parents. Yummy recipes, too!

With best wishes for a joyful holiday season,

Nancy

Recipe for Sugar and Spice Pecans - good enough to go nuts over!

guest — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:21:47 GMT

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you might be looking for a tasty munchie to bring to the festivities. This snack has everything your taste buds could possibly want: sweet, spicy, salty, and crunchy. Plus, nuts are very health-protective. The fat in nuts has an anti-inflammatory effect; it helps heal the tiny injuries that occur during exercise.

Despite popular belief, nuts are not inherently fattening. That is, nut eaters are not fatter than people who avoid nuts. I happen to consider nuts to be a good snack for dieters because nuts are satiating and keep you feeling full for a while. Better than yet-another pretzel!

If you are thinking about making some food gifts for the holidays, this recipe works well. Toast up a batch, put them in jars, tie on ribbons. Voila, a gift worth fighting over!

The recipe is reprinted with permission from: No WhineWith Dinner bythe Meal Makeover Moms, aka Janice Bissex RD and Liz Weiss RD. (www.MealMakeoverMoms.com). Enjoy!

Sugar and Spice Pecans

1 egg white

1 teaspoon water

1 pound pecan halves (about 4 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt, preferably kosher

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together the egg white and water in a large bowl until well blended. Add the pecans and toss to coat evenly.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and spices, then sprinkle it over the nuts. Toss until well coated.

4. Spread the pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet, and bake until the glaze is crisp and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

16 servings (1/4 cup) Total calories: 3,500

220 calories per serving, 10 g Carb, 3 g Pro, 20 g (healthy) fat

Banana bread--a tasty holiday gift suggestion!

guest — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:48:29 GMT

This holiday season, as you search for the “perfect gift,” remember that active people welcome gifts of good health— such as a loaf of banana bread warm from the oven!

Here’s a popular recipe from my new Sports Nutrition Guidebook (2008) -- a welcome gift in itself!

Banana Bread

This is an all-time favorite banana bread recipe. Its key to success is using well-ripened bananas that are covered with brown speckles. Especially yummy for a pre-exercise snack.

3 large well-ripened bananas 1 teaspoon salt

1 egg or 2 egg whites 1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons oil, preferably canola 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup milk 1 1/2 cups flour, preferably

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar half whole-wheat, half white

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Mash bananas with a fork. Add egg, oil, milk, sugar. Beat well.

3. Gently mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Stir just until moistened.

4. Pour into a 4” x 8” loaf pan that has been lightly oiled, treated

with cooking spray, or lined with wax paper. Bake 45 minutes,

or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.

5. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Yield: 12 slices Total calories: 1,600

135 calories per slice; 24 g Carb; 3 g Protein; 3 g Fat

For more ideas for recipes and nutrition books,[click here!|http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Healthy__Holiday_Nutri-Gifts.htm]

Happy holidays,

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD